Alexandre Mouton

"Senator Mouton" redirects here. For the Louisiana State Senate member, seeEdgar G. "Sonny" Mouton Jr.

Alexandre Mouton
11thGovernor of Louisiana
In office January 30, 1843 – February 12, 1846
Preceded by	Andre B. Roman
Succeeded by	Isaac Johnson
United States Senator fromLouisiana
In office January 12, 1837 – March 1, 1842
Preceded by	Alexander Porter
Succeeded by	Charles M. Conrad
Member of theLouisiana House of Representatives
In office 1827–1832
Personal details
Born	November 19, 1804 Lafayette Parish,Territory of Orleans
Died	(1885-02-12)February 12, 1885 (aged 80) nearLafayette, Louisiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	(1) Zelia Rousseau (2) Emma Kitchell Gardner
Alma mater	Georgetown University

Alexandre Mouton(November 19, 1804 – February 12, 1885) was aUnited States senatorand the11th Governor of Louisiana.

Early life

Alexandre Mouton

He was born inAttakapasdistrict (nowLafayette Parish) into a wealthy plantation-owningAcadianfamily. He pursued classical studies and graduated fromGeorgetown College.He studied law, was admitted to thebarin 1825, and commenced practice in Lafayette Parish. He married Zelia Rousseau, the granddaughter of GovernorJacques Dupré,in 1826; they had 5 children before her death in 1837, one of whom died in infancy. In 1842, he married Emma Kitchell Gardner; this marriage produced eight children, six of whom survived to adulthood.

Political career

From 1827 to 1832 was a member of theLouisiana House of Representatives,serving as speaker in 1831 - 1832. He was apresidential electoron theDemocraticticket in 1828, 1832, and 1836, and was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1830 to the Twenty-second Congress. In 1836 he was again a member of the State house of representatives.

Mouton was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofAlexander Porter,was reelected to the full term, and served from January 12, 1837, until his resignation on March 1, 1842. While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Agriculture (Twenty-sixth Congress).

From 1843 to 1846, Mouton was governor of Louisiana. As governor, Mouton reduced expenditures and liquidated state assets to balance the budget and meet bond obligations without raising taxes. He sold state-owned steamboats, equipment and slaves used to remove theRed River Raftin 1834 under Governor Roman. As governor, he opposed all expenditures forinternal improvements.He leased out state penitentiary labor and equipment. He supported the call for a constitutional convention, removal of property qualifications for suffrage and office holding, and the election of all local officials and most judges.

Civil War

He was president of the Statesecessionconvention in 1861 and an unsuccessful candidate to theConfederate Senate.Actively involved in railroads, he was president of the Southwestern Railroad Convention.

He was an active supporter of the Confederacy, devoting a large amount of his wealth to the cause. His sonAlfred Moutonbecame a general and died at theBattle of Mansfield.His daughter married ConfederateMajor GeneralFranklin Gardner,whose older sister became his own second wife.

Death

Governor Mouton's residence at Ile Copal sugar plantation outside Vermilionville.

He died nearVermillionville(now Lafayette) in 1885. He is buried in the cemetery atSt. John's Cathedral.

References

• United States Congress."Alexandre Mouton (id: M001050)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Congressional Bioguide's Guide to Research Collections for Alexander Mouton
• National Governors AssociationArchived2007-09-30 at theWayback Machine

External links

• Painting of Governor Mouton's home
• State of Louisiana - Biography
• Cemetery Memorialby La-Cemeteries